To help preserve NHRA's rich history and tradition while seizing on the success of nostalgic drag
racing competition, NHRA has announced the formation of the "NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series"
that will crown year-end points champions in 14 categories.

"This new series is an exciting step that will appeal to drag racing fans young and old," said
Peter Clifford, executive vice president and general manager, NHRA. "It's a great way to introduce
the younger generation to the history of our sport and give fans young and old a glimpse of racing
the way it used to be."

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will kick off with the famed March Meet at Bakersfield,
March 7-9, and conclude Oct. 10-12 at the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club
of Southern California back at Bakersfield's Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

Among the highlighted stops in between will be Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho for their 36th
annual Pepsi NightFire Nationals as well as Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif. and The Strip at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In all, there will be seven independently produced events with each class of competition competing
at and earning points toward the series championships at five of those seven events. The four
groups comprising the 14 categories are as follows:

Each of the seven events will feature at least two of the four groups and only the first two events
- the March Meet at Bakersfield (March 7-9) and the So Cal Shootout at Fontana (April 18-20) - will
feature all four.

There are already hundreds of "race-ready" drivers anxious to compete and racing will be conducted
under existing, well-established NHRA nostalgia rules. The year-end champions in each of the 14
categories will earn the most coveted trophy in all of drag racing, the Wally.